Lubbock, other cities, unveil power deal

A new partnership between four South Plains communities and a private company could produce more than ten times the residents needs and sell electricity into the rest of the state.

The partnership between the West Texas Municipal Power Agency, a parent of Lubbock Power & Light, and investment group Republic Power Partners LP announced the beginning of a $40 million feasibility study to determine the best mix of wind, natural gas, biomass and even clean coal to produce up to 4,000 megawatts of power.

Republic will raise private funds for the study and the estimated $8 billion the total project could cost, officials stressed.

The agency could purchase power for its communities of Brownfield, Floydada, Lubbock and Tulia in 2019, when a wholesale contract with current power supplier Xcel Energy is set to expire.